Conclusion:

The NZXT Alpha proved to be a pleasant surprise for me considering I wasn't expecting much from a case that costs around $80CAD. Personally, I think allot of us feel that $80 will get us a generic case which is bland, featureless and cools your components as well as a paper bag would. Yet with the Alpha, NZXT has shown us that a budget mid-tower enclosure can punch far above its price range by offering sleek design, good cooling options and 8800GTX compatibility. One of my particular favorites about this case is the fact that it is designed to appeal to a much broader market than other "gamer" cases. There are small little touches such as the recessed NZXT logo and the clear acrylic bezel that really make the Alpha stand out. Even the interior provides loads of options for cable routing and more space than i have seen on most mid-tower cases that have passed my way in the last few months. While we are focused on the interior, I have to say that I loved the touches of rubber which were perfectly placed on all of the corners that usually scratch the hell out of my hands. Allot of effort was also put into the design and material used in the acrylic window on the side panel. With most budget cases, you get a very thin sheet of cheap acrylic while with the Alpha you get a window which is made of thick, rigid, high-quality acrylic. These are touches you just don't expect from a case with this kind of price.

Yet, like with most products, there were some issues that kept the Alpha from being a near-perfect enclosure. It is downright depressing that so much work can be put into a product only to find out that it is not compatible with larger CPU coolers. Maybe saying that it is not compatible is too harsh but the second you install the side 120mm fan you can forget about using a Tuniq tower, Thermalright Ultra-120 or any other overly tall CPU cooler. Considering the side fan is a pretty large selling point, I was really hoping that NZXT would get it right and unfortunately they didn't. Another design faux pas is the location of the front (or should we call them "side") I/O ports. They are in an extremely inconvenient position if you have your case placed inside of a desk or on the floor with the ports pointing away from your seating location. There is also the issue of the unbalanced feet which can get really annoying considering your case will sway the second you touch it. This is easily fixed by putting a wedge of paper under one of the feet but we should not have to do that in the first place. Finally, I have a small issue with the cooling performance afforded by the front 120mm fan if you choose to install it; since there are so many obstacles between it and the rest of your case, the chance of any fresh air making it to your components is slim to none.

All in all, i enjoyed my time with the Alpha and I would happily recommend it to consumers looking for a well-priced mid-tower enclosure which offers solid installation options as well as good build quality. There are a few nagging issues but those can be pretty easily overlooked if you are building a basic system and don't need a high-end case. So, the NZXT Alpha gets a 4/5 rating and our Dam Good Value Award.


Pros:

- Excellent value
- Clear evidence of effort put into details
- Strong and well designed side window
- Sleek outer design
- Integrated holes for cable management
- USB drive, eSATA, headphone and microphone outputs


Cons:

- Rubber feet are not balanced
- USB drive, eSATA, headphone and microphone outputs are located at the bottom of the case
- Side fan must be removed in order for the case to be compatible with bigger heatsinks
- Requires more air flow in order to achieve better temperatures
- Door does not close flush with the case